Charcoal Smudges
by abovetheruins
Summary: Each night he gazes at the heaven ship and dreams, charcoal coated fingers stretched towards the sky. Waka/OC Slash ON HIATUS
1. Chapter One

_Notes: _This will be my first attempt at an Okami fanfiction, but I've been playing the game for a while now and I was inspired.:) Hopefully, some reader or two out there will take a chance and read this, and enjoy it. All comments are appreciated, though I will not tolerate flames.

_Warnings:_ This story will contain slash, as in it will feature a male/male pairing. If that offends you, then by all means feel free to click on that 'Back' button. It will also feature an OC (or 'Original Character')

_Pairing: _Waka/OC (Riyu)

_Rating: _ As of now, I'm leaning toward a 'T' rating. It may go up later.

_Disclaimer: _Clover owns Okami. Not me.

_Side Note:_ These chapters are not meant to be long. I will add more to it each day (at least, that is what I hope to do:) and so the length of each installment will differ.

Please, enjoy!

_ Charcoal Smudges_

The spring was cool tonight. With fingers stained a dark, rusty black, Riyu skimmed the very surface of the pool. His reflection stared back at him through a film of shimmering glass, his wide eyes catching the glow from the pregnant moon, full and round behind his back. One of the braziers was lit beside him, past the outcropping of rocks and the now slumbering guard. Its heat warmed his neck and back, the contrast of the cold water against his fingertips sending tingles through his body.

Silently he moved his fingers through the water, erasing any and all traces of black from the callused digits. When they were pale and clean once more he pulled his hand away from the glossy spring, wiping them dry on his clothing. He brushed strands of dark hair away from his face and eyed the stack of parchment he had been working on mere moments before. His eyes gleamed for a brief moment as he thumbed through the sizable collection, flipping past scenes of children playing, cherry blossom trees in full bloom, and other denizens of Sei-an, until they fell on one near the very end. His fingers shook as he slipped the paper free, black eyes scanning the contents with a fleeting scowl and a race of his heart.

A figure silhouetted in moonlight stared back at him, their face hidden in shadow but the rest of their body outlined by the celestial object looming over their shoulders. Golden hair fell in disarray around their head and flowed down their back, pale hands grasping a raised sword high above them.

Without meaning to, Riyu found his eyes glued to the heavens, to the massive floating ship he knew to be there, to the vessel that had been suspended in the same sky, the same location, since his birth. Two hundred years, they said, that ship had been there, watching over all of Sei-an City and protecting its people as surely as any of its previous rulers. Since Queen Himiko's death he had found himself gazing at it even more, his eyes continuously straying to the ship every time he stepped foot outside his door. There was no real purpose to it, only a need to... feel comforted, he supposed, that some things had not changed so drastically, that just because their queen had fallen did not mean the end to them all. There was still someone watching over them.

With a quiet sigh he allowed his eyes to close, gathering the papers to his chest and standing. His knees felt sore and numb after sitting still for so long, and he winced at the grating pull of muscles. Yet, he felt some satisfaction, gazing at the paper in his hands. The others felt ugly, imperfect next to this one. He was getting so close to capturing the real thing, to creating that perfection himself, from his own hands. He smiled softly at that thought.

_'capturing the real thing...'_

Could he ever hope to accomplish such a task?


	2. Chapter Two

It was difficult to breathe.

His lungs felt constricted, his heart twisted in an iron grip as he searched with wide, unblinking eyes. His gaze roamed the darkened stretch of the coast, his chest aching with the force of air past his trembling lips.

He had seen the wolf! The great white wolf, the beast that wielded the Divine Instrument, who was said to be a god... he had seen her! In a flash of white and red she had dashed by him, passing before his eyes as quick as a lighting bolt, there a mere second before she was gone in a whirlwind of dust and flower petals. Without even thinking he had dropped the parchment he had been carrying, along with the few pieces of charcoal he had brought along, and chased after the wolf's fleeting form. There was such desperation pulling at his heart that it frightened him, the intensity with which he ran, flying over the cobblestone streets of the city until he found himself sprinting along Ryoshima's vast shoreline.

His eyes had lost sight of the wolf long before, but his legs refused to give up their chase. He felt pulled along by something he could not name, some unidentifiable force driving him on. He just wanted...needed!... to find that wolf.

_'A beautiful vision she is,'_ the villagers had said. _'You may not liken her to much more than just an ordinary white wolf, but no... you get close to her and you'll be able to see the truth. That wolf is a god.'_

The captain of th heaven ship, the leader of the Tao Troopers assigned by Queen Himiko... the villagers regarded him as a god as well.

_'Will one god know the way to another?'_ Riyu wondered, breath heavy as he continued to run, his eyes catching sight of dawn's horizon steadily creeping over the ocean's glistening surface. If he could find the white wolf...

Could he find Waka as well?

His pulse thundered in his ears. A howl echoed over the land, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once. Riyu's eyes widened as his vision filled with the image of red and white, moonlit fur rippling over a sleek body, fastened with a glowing instrument of divine power.

He stared into the golden eyes of a god.


	3. Chapter Three

Sei-an City's nights always put him at ease. During the day, it was always so noisy, townspeople, aristocratic and commoner alike, milling about the streets, buying goods or going to the local taverns. It was a pleasant sight, to be sure, to gaze down from his fortress and watch the people go about their day, their colorful voices and personalities blending into a beautiful canvas of sights and sounds. But he would always prefer to be apart from that, away from the chaos and disorder of everyday life. His own was nothing but a web of disarray at the moment; he had no desire to add anymore turmoil to it.

The nights of Sei-an, however...That, he loved to be a part of. It was so much simpler than, when the moon held her sway over the city. The townspeople, asleep and hidden away in their homes, only a few stragglers roaming the streets, as well as the guards who fell asleep at their posts more often than not. He was free to roam as he wished then, with no worries of villagers spotting him or bringing attention to himself. He would walk along the cobblestone streets and gaze at the night sky, at the shadows drifting lazily along the walls, and feel, for a moment, at peace. If there were still times like this to be had, times when he could be at ease and allow his guard to slip, even in a world plagued by so much evil, than there was hope. Hope for Sei-an, and hope for all of Nippon. Hope for himself.

A breathy sigh escaped his lips as a cool breeze picked up, rustling the cherry blossom trees and lifting strands of his golden hair. His eyes closed of their own accord as he relished in the small caress, the chill wind against his face and the slight billow of his clothes.

His pushed wayward strands of golden hair from his face, fingers sliding easily through. A toss of his head sent the wave of blond locks rippling against his back. He felt...alive, as though the war between the Dark Lord and his minions never existed, as though his past were all a dream. The sudden urge to bring his flute to his lips and play came over him like a wave, an urge he hadn't felt in ages. What was it about this city that could make him feel this way?

His foot landed suddenly on something soft, something that made a strange crinkling noise beneath his sandals. He blinked slowly, gazing at the slip of parchment for a moment before bending to pick it up between two pale, slender fingers.

A soft gasp escaped his lips as he saw the cover. "Mon dieu!" he whispered, both hands gently cupping the sides so as not to damage it any further. It was smeared slightly from his sandal, the lines faded a bit, but the image was still clear as a bell.

An image of _him_.

It was...beautiful, would be the only way to describe it. His image, the vibrancy of his golden hair, the grace held in his limbs...all of it was pressed lovingly into parchment. The only thing that confused him was his face. It was cast in shadow, lending a sort of melancholy air to the otherwise majestic scene. He wondered why the artist had chosen to do such a thing.

Who had drawn this, he wondered, staring at his reflection in the worn, crisp paper. There was no other occupant on the street except for him, no soul near him that didn't slumber in their beds. Whose hands, then, had crafted such a beautiful image of him, of Waka?

The urge to find the soul who had burned inside him.

_Notes:_ Mon dieu means oh god!

If I'm wrong about any of these expressions (now or in the future) I implore you all to tell me. I have no knowledge whatsoever of the French language, so I'm bound to get something wrong sooner or later. XD


	4. Chapter Four

She stood perfectly still, like a statue as he approached her, step by tiny step. He was so afraid of making a mistake, of being too hasty in his actions and scaring her off.

He laughed silently. In the face of this wolf, with her slanted golden eyes staring at him, he could imagine nothing that would frighten her. Monsters ten times her size, monsters of the like that had killed their queen and priestess... They would crumble at this wolf's... this god's feet.

He gasped as his fingertips suddenly met snow white fur, the silky strands sliding against his skin. For a moment he was too shocked to move, to say or do anything at all. What was he supposed to say?

_'Where can I find him?'_ The words echoed in his head; he longed to move his lips, to form them on his tongue, but they felt lodged in his throat. Would she even know, this wolf? What if he was building his hopes on nothing?

"Who the heck are you?!" The tiny voice made him jump, his fingers jerking away from the wolf's head as if he's been burnt. His dark eyes searched for whoever the voice had come from. Surely the wolf hadn't...?

"Down here!" the voice snapped, sounding annoyed. Riyu's eyes glanced down in surprise at the wolf's head, where a bright green light was bouncing. On closer inspection he could see the tiny figure of a boy, black bangs covering his dark eyes.

_'A Pon'cle...'_ He had never seen such a creature before, of course, but had heard stories of them, the tiny people who lived in Yoshpet Forest, deep within its bowels. They were artists said to be the messengers of the gods. It made sense, in his mind, to see the one with the wolf.

"I asked you a question, brat!" The voice piped up again, a sword the length of his forefinger suddenly pointed at his face. "You have a name, don't you?"

"R-Riyu," he whispered, his eyes still riveted on the sword, unsure of whether he should feel intimidated or amused. "Who... who are you?"

The green bulb seemed to glow brighter for a moment, a small grin stretching over the Pon'cle's lips. "Issun the Wandering Artist," he proclaimed proudly, his chest puffed out with pride. Riyu could only stare blankly at him, wondering if the name was supposed to ring a bell. After a few moments of silence the glow seemed to fade and wilt, a tired sigh escaping the Pon'cle. "Let me guess," he muttered. "You haven't heard of me."

Riyu shrugged helplessly, not wanting to offend him... Issun. "I'm sorry," he began, fingers twitching idly by his sides. The wolf continued to stand still, her paws set firmly on the ground, back legs curled.

Issun waved his apologies away. "Forget it," he grumbled. He kicked softly at the patch of fur beneath his head, obviously put out. With a huff he sat atop the wolf's head, crossing his legs and leaning a tiny hand on his cheek. "So, " he began, staring at Riyu. "What are you doing out here? It must be something important if Ammy here is stickin' around."

Riyu blinked, staring at the snow colored wolf. "...Ammy?"

Issun sighed, pointing to the head of silk fur beneath him. "Ammy," he repeated. "Or Amaterasu, as everyone else calls her."

"The sun god." So it was true. Riyu could only blink in amazement as he sat before the wolf's paws, much like Issun had settled atop her head. His fingers reached out again, slowly. Amaterasu stared at him, studying him with golden eyes, before leaning her head forward, soft muzzle pressing into his palm. Riyu smiled softly as he rubbed at her nose, scratching idly behind her ears for a moment.

Issun studied the little human for a moment, crossing his arms over his chest. He supposed the youth posed no threat; if Ammy was this comfortable around him Issun had nothing to suspect him of. Still... "So, mind telling us why you're out here this late at night? It's not exactly safe you know." Even now he could feel the presence of evil plaguing Ryoshima; his and Ammy's work was far from done. He stared the boy over and frowned, taking in the dark smudges on his fingers. He knew those all too well. "You're an artist, aren't you?" he asked.

Riyu's eyes widened but he said nothing, nodding his head to the Pon'cle's question. "How...?" he began, only to be cut off as Issun snorted, waving a hand in the air as if to brush off his question.

"I can recognize the tools of the trade when I see them," he smirked, pointing a tiny finger at Riyu's hands. His frown consumed his lips again, however, as he glanced about them in the darkness. "You're no samurai, or swordsman," he said, patting his own sword Denkomaru, "and you have no means to protect yourself. These are dangerous times, brat."

Riyu glanced down at his lap, black bangs falling to obscure his eyes. His hand dropped from where it had been shifting through Amaterasu's fur; the wolf god gave a small whine but did nothing except lay her head on her paws, curling into a resting position. "I.. I know the dangers that lurk outside the city walls," Riyu confessed quietly, fingers clenching in the fabric at his knees. Pink flushed across his cheeks. "But I...I wanted to..."

Issun glanced at the blush on the youth's face and found a grin stretching across his own. "Oh," he crowed with delight, clapping his hands together. "I see!" His eyes twinkled. "You were out here visiting a lover! Is that it?"

At the word 'lover' Riyu's awkward blush only increased, his cheeks burning. An image of golden hair and graceful limbs flashed before his eyes and he shivered. "It's not..." he began, feeling foolish for venturing out here in the first place, wishing he had gone back to his home and slept instead. "I'm..." He took a deep breath, forcing his eyes to face the wolf's and Issun's. "I'm looking for someone. I thought...I thought Amaterasu could help."

Issun scratched his head, puzzled. "It depends," he said lowly, leaning his head on one of his hands. "Who exactly is it that you're looking for, brat?"

Riyu swallowed. "I'm looking for Waka."

For a moment all that was heard was a painful, grating silence. Not even the wildlife that inhabited the coast seemed to be moving.

"W-what?!" Issun's voice squeaked, the tiny Pon'cle bouncing atop Amaterasu's head with a sudden fury. "That...that phony prophet?! Why would you wanna go looking for that pretty boy?"

Riyu felt a frown pulling at his lips. Why was Issun speaking so distastefully of their protector? "Phony?" he questioned. "Why would you say such a thing? Waka protects us, all of us. For as long as I can remember."

Issun snorted, plopping down onto the wolf's head with a huff. "All for his own self interests, no doubt," he muttered, rolling dark eyes. He eyed Riyu curiously. "Why are you looking for him, brat?"

"..." Riyu swallowed nervously, avoiding eye contact with the Pon'cle. "I..." He felt a rush of warmth spread across his cheeks and nose, his fingers clenching. "I..."

Issun was not an ignorant bug, as some people seemed to think. He knew the expressions flitting across the boy's face, knew them like he knew his sword, like he knew the wolf beneath him. The chaotic emotions-love, lust, fear, confusion-melded as one on the pale boy's face, reflected in his dark eyes and tight limbs.

He could barely believe it even _with_ the evidence right in front of his eyes. "You..." He wondered if he could even get this out with a straight face. "You're in _love_? With Waka?"

Riyu's eyes widened, breath hitching as the wolf raised her head, golden eyes fixing onto his own. It felt as though she could gaze into his very soul with her deep, time-worn eyes. Issun's words hit him like a blow to the chest, and he shivered at the intensity of them, that one word finally spoken out loud, no longer hidden within the depths of his heart.

His expression said it all. Issun's eyes stared at the boy in wonder. Did the brat even know what he was getting himself into? Did he truly know how slim the chances were, of that false prophet noticing him, let alone returning that fragile love?

"Kid," he began, his voice softening. He didn't want to crush this boy's dreams, but what he was asking for was impossible...

Amaterasu shook her head, startling Issun to the point of almost falling. He glared at the furry head of white beneath his feet and growled out a "Watch it!" The wolf simply ignored his outburst, standing to her feet and pressing her muzzle into Riyu's cheek. Issun watched her with wide eyes, barely even believing...

"Ammy?!" he squeaked, shaking his head in disbelief. "Don't tell me you actually want to _help_ this brat?"

The sun god gave a small nod of her head, red markings flashing in the moonlight.

Issun blinked dumbly. "But...but..."

A slow flick of her tail and Amaterasu was pushing Riyu's shoulder with her nose, urging him to rise to his feet. Riyu obeyed with wide eyes, confusion clear on his face. Issun yelped and grabbed onto her fur as the wolf knelt before the boy, her back displayed to his dark eyes.

"She...wants you to get on," Issun explained slowly, unable to clearly understand it himself.

Riyu stared at him and then the wolf and felt his heart hammering against his chest, staring at the silky fur shaded the color of snow. Was Amaterasu...was she taking him to Waka? It seemed almost...too good to be true, like a dream he would wake from to find himself once alone, cold and hollow in his bed. He felt the rapid beat of his heart, imagined the golden haired god possibly waiting at the end of this road, took a deep, clear breath of the coastal air...

...and climbed onto the sun god's back.

_Notes:_ School starts back Monday. -sobs- I'll only be able to update on the weekends for a while. Until then!


	5. Chapter Five

He couldn't tear his eyes away from the image pressed to the paper, couldn't bring himself to let it slip from his fingers. He sat at his desk, hidden away in his fortress, the slip of parchment held carefully between his pale fingers. He couldn't understand what it was about the picture that captivated him so. He felt almost like a narcissist, entranced by his own image as he was. But no... It wasn't the subject of the artwork that awed him, it was the... the craftsmanship of it, the _feeling_.

It felt as though the artist had put all of their heart into it, as though every swipe of charcoal had taken a little more of their soul. It made even him shiver at the mere intensity of it, his mind wandering to what the person must have looked like while they drew it, the fierce concentration in their eyes, the charcoal staining their hands.

'_Lovely hands_,' he thought faintly, a small smile curling his pale lips. They must have been, he thought, to produce such beauty. He had always admired an artist's hands, the power, the strength they held. He stared at his own and wondered if he had such hands. His own were pale, with slender fingers and smooth palms. Nothing unique about them, the only power they held expressed in the form of his sword. A fighter's hands, perhaps.

"M-master Waka?"

He lifted his eyes from his hands, away from the drawing to see one of his Tao Troopers, nervously standing before his desk. Abe, his mind supplied him, was the man's name. "Yes, Abe?" he murmured, curving his hand against his cheek, bright eyes eyeing the Trooper expectantly.

Abe flushed, arms standing stiff at his sides, the hand wrapped around his staff feeling clammy. "E-er...there's a..." He swallowed hard and shook his head, trying to gather his nerve. Why must he always get so tongue-tied in the presence of his lord? "The white wolf, sir," he managed to get out, proud that he had got it out without stuttering. " She's...she's outside, sir."

"Ah," Waka murmured, steepling his hands underneath his chin. He wondered why Amaterasu and her bouncing companion would wish to see him now. He would have guessed that they were on their way to the Dragon Palace, by now. "By all means, let her in." He stood up from his desk as Abe nervously nodded his head, racing towards the doors to allow the wolf entry. Waka crossed his arms over his chest, waiting.

As the doors slid open, Amaterasu's form glided swiftly in, her snow white coat almost blinding in the darkness of the main chamber. He could see the faint green gleam that was Issun, perched on her head as always. What made him pause, however, was the human, riding on her back.

As they got closer, he could see more of its features, dark hair the shade of the night sky falling over their forehead. Their eyes were hidden from him, but he could see the pale skin of their arms, their hands.

He drew in a sharp breath at the sight of those hands, clenched in the sun god's downy fur as if holding on for dear life. They were long, the fingers pale and slender, and...

'_Mon dieu..._'

Smudged with charcoal.

_Notes:_ I apologize for the wait. It took longer than I expected to be able to sit down and get this one out.


End file.
